


Ease Through the Night

by victoriousscarf



Series: Stars and Cinders [9]
Category: DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 05:00:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7154600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victoriousscarf/pseuds/victoriousscarf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What's wrong?” Bruce asked, and pushing himself to his feet didn't use to feel this hard. His bones are getting old, he's getting old and there's a boy in his kitchen. He can't remember if Dick ever felt this small in front of him.</p><p>Jason didn't.</p><p>Or maybe he's just remembering both of them wrong.</p><p>“Do you think the Force is a benevolent thing?” Tim asked, and wasn't looking at him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ease Through the Night

**Author's Note:**

> I'm constantly wondering if the Force is a nice thing, or if the dark side isn't half right about it *laughs* the Point is Everyone Doubts and Bruce has a really bad night

Bruce was almost asleep on the cushions that might have passed for a couch, his data pad in his hands when Tim came stumbling out of his room. Blinking sleep and fading dread out of his eyes, Bruce turned his head and Tim came to a stop upon seeing him.

“It's very late,” Bruce said and Tim shook his head, his padawan braid twisted up in his fingers before he carefully stepped around Bruce to the kitchen. “Tim,” Bruce said, a hint of warning in his voice.

“Sorry, Master,” Tim's quiet voice came from around the corner.

“What's wrong?” Bruce asked, and pushing himself to his feet didn't use to feel this hard. His bones were getting old, he was getting old and there's a boy in his kitchen. He couldn't remember if Dick ever felt this small in front of him.

Jason didn't.

Or maybe he just remembered both of them wrong.

“Do you think the Force is a benevolent thing?” Tim asked, and wasn't looking at him.

Bruce blinked, not awake enough yet. “Excuse me?”

“It's the binding Force between all living things,” Tim said softly, fiddling with the tea kettle. “It's life itself, it's living and unifying and,” he shook his head. “Do you think it notices us?”

Bruce frowned and rubbed his eyes. “No,” he said.

“Because sometimes it feels like it's trying to guide us, to help us,” Tim said.

“Yes,” Bruce said and all Jedi had feelings, nudges to duck and to follow a certain person, to keep believing in someone. But Tim's eyes were dark and haunted when he turned around.

“Why would the Force show us things we cannot change?” he asked. “What is the point of knowing the darkness is coming if you can never do anything?”

“The future is never set,” Bruce said automatically, because Kal was the one who had dreams when they were growing up, not him. But Kal's visions never seemed like this, never seemed like they were beating his mind and wearing him down. At least he had smiled most of them off in ways Tim could not do.

“And yet every one of them comes true,” Tim said. “Every dream I have, every future I see and try to change is what passes.”

“Then perhaps you need to let go,” Bruce said and it rang hollow to his own ears.

Tim seemed to realize it too and he crossed his arms over his chest.

“It is simply that perhaps you are trying too hard to change the future,” Bruce said. “And in turn you create it.”

“It seems if the Force is everything we say it is,” Tim said. “It should be kinder.”

Bruce closed his eyes, because Dick was starting to come around again, with his orange blades and dark eyes, and Jason was in the Outer Rim, covered in pain and scars and the Force had never felt kind to Bruce, for bringing those lights into his life to drag them away again.

“I do not think the Force is about us,” Bruce said. “It is something else—something greater. I believe it, but I'm not sure it cares for such tiny beings one way or another.”

“Then why do we trust it?” Tim asked. “Why does it lead us exactly where we need to be when we do?”

“Tim, these questions—”

“I know,” Tim said and turned his head away. “Questioning the very nature of the Force. It's not really dogma, is it?”

“The Jedi—” Bruce started and shook his head. They were dogmatic and he had said it a dozen times, a hundred times. It had never changed a thing.”It and we are what we are,” he settled for. “Servants of the Force.”

“It is not a kind master,” Tim said.

“We were never asked to become Jedi because it was easy,” Bruce said and there was something whip hard in his voice. “But because it is our duty and our ability.”

“To save the galaxy from itself?” Tim asked, wry and he was _too young_.

“I'm not sure that's quite—”

“I should let you get back to reading, or sleeping,” Tim said and turned away, not even having finished his tea.

Bruce watched him go, wondering if this was the mistake he made with Dick and Jason. Letting them walk away with heavy shoulders and doubts and saying nothing to call them back. Nothing to sooth their fears and assure them of their place in the world.

Tim's shoulders drooped and Bruce reached a hand out, stopping him.

“You can stay,” he said, hesitant, scared. “Out here. Read with me. Or meditate.”

Tim stopped, his skin warm under Bruce's hand and closed his eyes. “Maybe,” he said, in a tiny voice. “Just for a little bit. We should both sleep this night.”

“Later,” Bruce agreed and let Tim curl up against him on the cushions, a pad in his hands and Bruce didn't read a single word.

They fell asleep like that, woken in the morning when Diana slammed the door open, shoving it when the mechanism didn't seem fast enough for her.

“Bruce,” she said, voice tight and usually they all had more control than this. “It's Dick.”

Bruce was on his feet, Tim tumbling over and he barely noticed. “What do you mean?”

“He disappeared,” Diana said and Bruce stared, because no one had _told_ him. He had seen Dick a week ago, and Dick had even managed to smile at him, hurt still but warm and there and that's all Bruce felt he could ask for. “As soon as he hit the outer rim.”

“And now?” Bruce demanded.

She stopped, all her force and urgency seeming to evaporate. Tim had pushed himself up, smoothing his hair down. “He's been seen again,” she said.

“Diana,” Bruce started.

“With Slade Wilson and red blades,” Diana finished and Tim abruptly sat back down on the cushions as a roar filled Bruce's ears.

 _Do you think the Force is a benevolent thing?_ Tim had asked the night before and Bruce knew the answer was _no_.

 


End file.
